Politicians cause conflict: poll

Most people agree that conflicts are normal in a democratic society but they view politicians as a major cause of the disputes in Thailand, a public opinion survey has found.

Some 85 per cent of people viewed conflicts as a normal occurrence but 83 per cent said politicians when asked what they thought was the cause of conflicts in Thailand, according to results of a survey by Assumption University's Abac Poll.

Another 41 per cent of those surveyed blamed military coups, 36 per cent said people in general, 35 per cent blamed the mass media, and 34 per cent blamed state officials. Almost 32 per cent named Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra as a major cause of conflict, followed by police (30.3 per cent), independent agencies (30.1), the Constitution and the law (29.8), academics (27.2), and the military (24 per cent).

The survey was conducted with 2,159 people in 17 provinces in all regions between March 10 and 22.

The Nation